‘I have voted since 1994, but I still have no running water’

HOFMEYR NEWS - "I have been living in Hofmeyr all my life, and I have voted since 1994, but I still have no water in my house. I am getting very old and very tired to walk to the water points, and it costs money to ask someone else.”

These were the words of Kuku Mangala at a Hofmeyr Community Development Forum meeting on Sunday 5 March.

The meeting was called to elect new forum management and to receive feedback from the Chris Hani District Municipality about the ongoing service delivery issues.

The MMC for infrastructure, Councillor Bongeka Nobuntu, addressed the meeting and representatives of the municipality responded to the petition, which was delivered to local Councillor Buti Quqa.

It was reported that Gift of the Givers would once again step in where government has failed and is willing to drill two boreholes to alleviate the water crisis. The municipality must only grant them written permission to do that, at no cost to the municipality, but even this was too much to do.

It has been raised with Councillor Quqa, representing the Enoch Mgijima Municipality over many years, but still he hasn't came through with any response.

Mama Kuku Mangala has lived in Hofmeyr all her life, and has never had a working toilet or running water.

Lamla Mafilika said toilets are not functioning due to a lack of water. "Toilets are not working, yet they're inside the yard and the problem lies with poor workmanship and poor service from the municipality. People are forced to pay on their own for fixing such problems."

"Sewerage buckets are not collected as they're supposed too. It's been weeks since any buckets have been collected," complained Nomfundo Fuba. "Although a sewerage system has been completed in Hofmeyr during 2005, it has never worked."

These questions could not be answered as the person who attended represents Sport and Culture.

Mzwakhe Qashani raised safety and security issues. "There are no security guards at our water supply systems and dams to protect infrastructure." He also mentioned an incident where a child drowned in sewage in Hofmeyr.

Londozwa Ntetha of the forum says the municipality announced they will drill two more boreholes equipped with solar to address water problems.

“They also stated they will not use the old ones as there are serious problems with electricity supply due to load-shedding and theft. We are grateful for the clearing out of rubbish dumps and water furrows, and twelve people are now employed to give attention to rubbish removal. Grading had started on streets in Twinsville, and water tanks were installed."

Mzwakhe Qashani is worried about the security at reservoirs, pumps, sewerage site and dams.